throughout the morning with updates. >> all right. thanks, kim. >> that'll do it for news 4 today. we're back in 25 minutes with a local news update. >> and join us at 9:00 for a full hour and a half of news, weather, and sports. until then, make it a great saturday, everyone. good morning. slipping and sliding. a nasty ice storm causes accidents all across the south while much of the rest of the country remains locked in the bitter cold. and even as temperatures start to ease up, more wintry weather is in store this weekend. wake-up call. a new study that finds snoring just might be worse for you than being overweight, even smoking. is there anything you can do? and can he make it? he winds up for the hook shot and swish -- a miami heat fan sinks an amazing half-cower shot. he's $75,000 dollars richer, and

judging by that hug, he might be lebron james' new best friend. judging by that hug, he might be lebron james' new best friend. saturday, january 26, 2013. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> i'm erica hill. even if lebron is not his new best friend, i'm sure there are plenty of people after learning about that $75,000 payout who would love to be his friend. >> i love this. he didn't take a traditional shot. he wound up making the hook shot. >> which you have to do if you have that opportunity. there's no way you're making it with a traditional shot. you have to go all in. >> then he got lebron james hanging out with you. great shot. >> not bad. >> we've got a lot to get to. we'll show you more of that. including, we'll talk about the cold snap that won't go away. but there is something heating up the markets. that's a good thing.

>> making a lot of people happy. >> yeah. the dow getting close to a record high. the nasdaq and the s&p are soaring, as well. this amid positive signs about the economy, housing rebounding, and companies hiring. so is it too late if you want to jump into the stock market? find out what you should do if you've been on the sidelines until now. and speaking of money, we'll tell you why you will have to spend a lot more of it if you are planning to serve chicken wings at your super bowl party next weekend. i hope you're sitting down for that. >> always got nachos. nachos are the go-to snack. >> yeah. that's what we would have at our house. >> or mac and cheese which we'll talk about later on. somebody's making mac and cheese today. then we'll talk about -- just when the deadly flu season seems to be getting better now, a new concern nationwide. it's called the norovirus. what is it, how can you avoid it? we'll get to the bottom of the health threat. notre dame speaking out about the manti te'o fake girlfriend scandal. what the school know, when it -- school knew, where it knew, and

why the school didn't go public when it first learn good the deception. even that's confusing. >> nothing makes sense in that story. we'll take you on the hunt for a man-eating nile crocodile. you guessed it, in florida. we do want to begin this morning with the icy weather blanketing a big section of the country. the weather channel's mike seidel is in knoxville, tennessee, where they're cleaning up today now that the worst appears to be over. mike, good morning. >> reporter: and good morning, lester. here in knoxville, temperatures stayed above freezing all night. so the ice from yesterday has melted. take a look at the streets yesterday. we had freezing rain for nine hours. about .4 inch of ice. this shut down a lot of roadways, hundred of accidents here up through kentucky, the carolinas. one fatality in the upstate of south carolina due to icy roads. power was not a big issue. only 4,000 customers, about 2% of the power base lost power here in knoxville. to the north, it was snowfall. let's head up to the buckeye state. in columbus, several inches of snow. this did not drop a lot of snow. amounts generally one to two

inches. a swath from columbus into allegheny county near pittsburgh. cars were slipping and sliding on the roadways there. and in chicagoland, they finally got their first inch of snow after 335 days. the record streak ends. lester, you being from chicago can appreciate this -- now the seasonal snowfall total stands at 2.8 inches. back here, by the way, temperatures today and across everywhere where they had the ice will hit above 40. back to you. >> thank you very much. and dylan is upstairs tracking all the nasty weather for us. dylan, good morning. >> good morning, yes. we have another ice storm to talk about tomorrow. today's going to be quiet. we're just waiting for the warmer air to move in. you see today is still very cold. right now we have windchills well below zero. and it is going to stay very frigid in the northeast as we go into this afternoon. we are looking for highs to once again be in the mid 20s in the northeast. even teens up into boston. but gradually over the course of the next couple of days, again, it's a slow process, we are

going to see some warmer temperatures. tomorrow, we get up to about 30 degrees in new york city. it helps. we are looking for temperatures, though, on monday to get to the mid 30s. finally, above freezing. then as we go into tuesday, even warmer air starts to move in. we should be back in the mid 40s in the northeast. then eventually even warmer. we're talking 50s by the end of the week. we do have this ice storm warning and freezing rain advisory still in effect across iowa, up into southern wisconsin, northern illinois. it does look like we end up with areas picking up a quarter inch of ice. that's going to coat trees and power lines and make driving treacherous. the time frame is sunday morning into most of sunday afternoon. erica? >> all right, dylan. thank you. if you have money invested in the stock market, you may be feeling little better this morning. the dow is approaching a record high. the other markets making big rallies, as well. the big question, of course, is now the time to invest, or did we already miss it? let's bring in cnbc's mary

thompson. nice to see you. we're hoping we didn't miss it. if we look at the closing numbers, the dow, nasdaq, s&p, on a roll. the indices posting gains four weeks in a row. the dow and s&p reaching five-year highs on friday. is now the time to get in there and invest? >> you know, there are a lot of reasons to say yes. first of all, let's look at the u.s. economy. we've seen improving numbers in the housing markets. better numbers on unemployment. then globally, we've seen improvements, as well. notably, better manufacturing numbers out of china and germany, two big economies. and so that's one reason. another reason is corporate balance sheets are very clean, they paid off a lot of debt. lastly, there's money on the sidelines to come in. that could fuel a rally. of course, there are cons because it's not always good news. the first one is, and i think you have to be concerned with this, the outlook for the u.s. fiscal picture. that could be a problem, especially going into march or february when we have the debate in washington. that could be a problem. also, profit growth. while it's up, the rate of growth is slowing a bit. and to some professionals,

that's a concern. >> those are things to look at. for a lot of people, they pulled back because they were concerned about their future and their retirement savings in many cases. >> as they should be. >> looking at this, based on your age, how does that factor in to whether or not you should invest and how involved you should be? >> well, a general rule of thumb is the younger you are, the more money you have in stocks. what you should always have is a diversified portfolio. you should always have money in stocks, bonds, maybe commodities like gold, a smaller percentage, 5% to 10% at the most. if you're under 40, you should have the majority of money in stocks. that's what a financial adviser would tell you. as you go into the 40s, 50s, and 60s, you should transition away from stocks and put more money into fixed incomes like bonds and more money into cash to make sure you have that principle there when you retire. >> you mentioned the fiscal outlook for the u.s. economy, what could be happening in the washington in the next month or so. that's a big concern for people. how much of an impact will that have in terms of how long this rally will last?

>> well, it could actually stall the rally. if there tends to be a lot of rancor and a lot of back and forth between democrats and republicans on how they should deal with the deficit and what kind of spending cuts should come out. that could actually cause some choppiness in the markets. however, if they get things settled, a lot of people say that would be a huge catalyst for the stock market. >> and analysts had said, too, what we're seeing now this sort of rally if that's the right word for it, a lot of that came after we avoided the fiscal cliff. >> that's right. an added catalyst. on top of all the positive economic data that we've been seeing. >> nice to have you here. thanks. >> nice to be here. >> lester? >> thanks. most of the country fighting the flu. the virus is widespread in 47 of 50 states. this morning there is a new concern. it's a new strain of the norovirus going around. and that's making people miserable in a whole different way. here's our chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman. >> reporter: the flu is moving west. in this elementary school in

dunk in, oklahoma, more than 10% of the students are out sick with influenza. staff has closed the school in order to clean everything. >> one morning at school -- >> reporter: in san diego, this preschool staff is focusing on prevention by wiping down all the surfaces and teaching kids the best way to stay well. >> this year, this season, this last two weeks has been very, very overwhelming almost because there's so many people sick. >> reporter: influenza started with local outbreaks in october and then became widespread throughout the united states. the centers for disease control is reporting 37 children have died so far this flu season. young children and the elderly are most vulnerable. at the medical center in new york, the staff is working overtime, overwhelmed by flu and now something new. >> this year in particular, there's an increase not just in the flu this time of year, but there's also a norovirus and a whooping cough outbreak going on simultaneously which is causing more people to present to the hospital looking for care. >> reporter: norovirus causes

severe naush avomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. it's submitted when people don't wash their hands after using the bathroom, leaving the virus behind on surfaces and food. >> it can stay alive for long periods of time and can be transmitted easily to anybody. >> reporter: unlike influenza, there is no vaccine. so the best way to prevent norovirus infection, disinfect surfaces with bleach, and keep hands clean. bottom line, both of these illnesses serve as reminders, wash your hands. for "today," dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. >> lovely. get out the purell. right. time to get a check of the morning's other top stories from jenna wolf. good morning. >> good morning, you guys. hi, everybody. lance armstrong has been given until february 6 to fully and truthfully cooperate with anti-doping officials. u.s. anti-doping agency chief travis tygart tells "60 minutes" that armstrong lloyd several times during his interviewer --

lied several times during his interviewer with oprah winfrey. one of the likewise was when armstrong said he did not dope for the 2009-2010 return to the tour de france. tygart says armstrong has less than two weeks to tell the truth in exchange for a possible lessening of his lifetime ban from competitive sports. the u.s. supreme court will apparently have to settle a dispute over president obama's authority to make appointments when the appeals court returns to session. they say he violated the constitution when he bypassed the senate by heading richard core cordray. his job is to look out for the interests of american consumers. the white house says the ruling defies years of legal tradition. the most widely prescribed drug in the u.s. may be harder to get. federal health advisers want to limit hydrocodone. they're aiming to eliminate drug abuse as requiring prescriptions. the rules would cut back on who

can prescribe it and the number of refills allowed. so tina turner has finally answered her own question -- what's love got to do with it. the answer -- apparently everything when you really, really love where you live. tina turner is giving up her u.s. passport in favor of a swiss passport. the 73-year-old singer has lived in suburban zurich since the mid 1990s. she says shiso, so happy in switzerland and cannot think of a better place to live. seems dramatic, but we love tina. finally, dog, sneeze, carrot. separately the words make no sense. together they make the following video. charlie the dog is still learning new tricks but has mastered sneezing on command for a carrot. >> sneeze. >> there you go. >> good job. >> not sitting for a piece of meat or getting a ball for a treat. sneezing for a carrot. charlie, ladies and gentlemen. >> shake. >> any chance he may be allergic to carrots?

>> there's a good chance. here's the deal -- we'll never know. you know, dogs can't speak and all. we might never know that. but -- >> shake. sneeze. >> seems happy with the carrot. my vet did tell me once that when your dog sneezes it means they're happy. there you go. maybe the carrot makes him happy. >> there you go. >> charlie got on the "today" show. good things are happening for charlie. >> keep sneezing, charlie. thanks. dylan dreyer is here. the weather nothing to sneeze at. >> that was good. do you want a carrot? that's all you get. just a carrot. we are going to see a big ice storm move into the midwest tomorrow. today, it's all about well, we have a morning flurry, but the real big news is

we should get above freezing for the first time since midnight tuesday. hallelujah. so the numbers, they're coming in kind of cold. 27. it's 19 in gaithersburg. these snow showers are heavier to our south. southern fairfax county, northern stafford county, that's where we have a little bit of snow. it's affecting you in fredericksburg. >> that is your latest forecast. erica? >> thanks. thousands of people expected to march in the nation's capital today, demanding an end to gun violence. it comes as the white house kicks off its high-profile campaign to rally public support for stricter gun control. kristin welker is live with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. in fact, as many as 5,000 people are expected to march on the mall for gun control today. and despite the groundswell of public support, this is still one of the most divisive issues in the nation.

on friday, vice president biden officially kicked off the obama administration's public push aimed at pressuring congress to enact stiffer gun laws. biden held a round table discussion in the traditionally gun-friendly area of richmond, virginia. >> we talked about the need to expand mental health capacity across the country. we talked about access, and we talked about resources. >> reporter: and in an effort to sway legislators through public pressure, organizing for action, obama's relaunched campaign arm, is sending out emails to supporters writing, "tell your members of congress that you want to see decisive action on this issue." in addition to 23 executive actions focused on gun safety, the president has also called for new legislation including universal background checks, limits on high-capacity magazines, and a ban on assault weapons. this past week, california democratic senator dianne feinstein proposed a ban that

would be more restrictive than the one that expired a decade ago. >> this is really an uphill road. if anyone asked today can you win this, the answer is we don't know, it's so uphill. >> reporter: the nation's largest gun lobby, the national rifle association, released this statement -- "the american people know gun bans do not work, and we are confident congress will reject senator feinstein's wrong-headed approach." meanwhile on, friday, the nra was criticized by one of its own members for running this ad which brought the president's daughters into the debate. >> are the president's kids more important than yours? >> reporter: jim baker, head of the group's federal affairs division, reportedly disagreed with the commercial. the nra telling nbc news, "differences of opinion are common to organizations throughout the country." the flap underscores how divisive the issue of gun control continues to be. political analysts say the president doesn't have a lot of time to get congress on board.

>> he's not going to spend a whole year doing it. at some point you have to have votes. it's almost like the health care process over again, where it drains resources. >> reporter: white house officials say on tuesday president obama will travel to las vegas, nevada, to talk about another big goal for his second term. that is immigration reform. political analysts say the clock is ticking for him to get something done on that issue, as well. lester? >> kristin welker, thank you. mark halpern is a senior political analyst for msnbc as well as "time" magazine. >> good morning. >> want to pick up what we heard at the end of the story. we don't want this to be another health care. that did take a lot of political capital. some say the administration took its eye off the economy ball at the time. with the gun debate, is there the risk of expending, again, too much political capital at the expense of immigration? over some other big-ticket things he wants to deal with? >> there is that risk. but as we saw in the inaugural address, he wants to use the second term to get big things done. things like immigration, deficit reduction, immigration, things

that he talked about all along. this is a new issue, the gun control issue. we're about to see the biggest effort ever by a president and a vice president to try to change america's gun control laws. it's going to take some time. i think the president will stick with it through at least this year. >> they're taking the message on the road. we've seen this a lot lately. is that because it works? >> the inside game isn't going work on this one. the president needs more -- reaching people directly, neighbor-to-neighbor contact, emails to try to get public opinion really changed. it can backfire. you go to a member of congress' state and tell your member of congress to vote different than he -- he or she might want to, that can backfire. this is obama/biden politics going forward now. going outside of washington to try to change public opinion and remake how people think about issues. gun control, as i said, biggest effort ever to try to change the gun control laws. doesn't mean it's going to work, but the president and the vice president are going to try. >> senator feinstein said it

well, it's an uphill road. will the administration lower its expectations? you know, maybe concentrate on the background checks and not so much the assault weapon ban? >> the background checks are enormously popular and clearly have a better chance of passage. what it seems based on what vice president biden emphasized yesterday and what some on capitol hill are saying, better to get the so-called low-hanging fruit. better to go for the measures that could build some popularity. and maybe some momentum. pass those and then maybe come back. the president feels passionately about this issue. any parent can look at his face when he talks about newtown and know for him it's personal, and it's important. and the best way to channel that desire for him is to get some victories and then again maybe build momentum. trying to pass a big package with a ban on some weapons which is a hot button could cause the effort to collapse. he doesn't want that. >> before you get away, someone who covered the -- the 2008 campaign, the president and secretary of state hillary clinton, peering on "60 minutes"

this weekend. here's a clip of her talking about the fact that, of course, they were opponents. want your thoughts after this. >> a few years ago it would have been seen as improbable because we had that very long, hard primary campaign. but you know, i've gone around the world on behalf of the president and our country. and one of the things that i say to people because i think it helps them understand, i say, look, in politics and in democracy, sometimes you win elections, sometimes you lose elections. and i worked very hard, but i lost. and then president obama asked me to be secretary of state. and i said yes. and why did he ask me and why did i say yes? because we both love our country. >> interesting to hear her talk about that now four years in. i'm sure they're close. was it awkward at the start of the relationship? >> extraordinarily awkward. the 2008 campaign in the end dominated by their relationship and the arc of their coming together. 2012 sort of dominated by president clinton and his relationship with barack obama changing over time.

now a lot of people are looking at the interviewer and saying 2016, was that meant to represent kind of a laying on hands by barack obama, to say i want this to be my successor? not necessarily joe biden still out there, but the arc of those two from rivals, friends in the senate, then rivals in the presidential campaign trail, and now working together for four years, really one of the more interesting human political stories we've seen in the last generation. >> you think they're close now? >> there's no doubt in my mind that that is a genuine relationship. it's not just of political convenience. when hillary clinton says we do this because we love america, some people say that's -- that's corny. that's exactly the way she feels about her service and why for the last four years she was willing to work with someone who, as she said, she had such a bitter fight with on the campaign trail. >> good to talk to you. thank you very much. ahead, the mother who set off a firestorm when she put her 7-year-old daughter on a diet and wrote about it in a national magazine. was her tough love the right move or did she maybe go too far? we'll ask her in a live interviewer. first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪ [ male announcer ] from our nation's networks... ♪ ...to our city streets... ♪ ...to skies around the world... ♪ ...northrop grumman's security solutions are invisibly at work, protecting people's lives... [ soldier ] move out! [ male announcer ] ...without their even knowing it. that's the value of performance. northrop grumman.

still to come, he slices, he dices, he gets people to buy all sorts of stuff with his late night infomercials. he tells you it's going to change your life. find out just what makes ron popeil tick. and a gator in florida that could turn into a man-eater if not caught.

good morning. it is 7:26 on this saturday, january 26th. police are on the hunt for a gunman who shot and injured five people at a d.c. nightclub. it happened at the d.c. sound stage. police say a man went to the club and just opened fire. three men and two women were shot. they were all alive when rescuers took them to the hospital. today, at least 2500 people are expected downtown for a rally supporti ining stricter g

control laws. the march will start at the capitol before heading to the national monument. will it be another chilly day in our area? kim has a look at your weekend next.

and we are wake up to another cold morning, but there is a warmup on the way. if you can call it a warmup. it's not going to really be warm, just warmer. >> yes, warmer. in fact, above freezing. that's a pretty big deal considering we have been below freezing since midnight tuesday. we still have teens to our north. 27 is the number. maybe snow covered front stoop. we have a few snow showers, mainly to our out, skirting across northern stafford county towards fredericksburg this morning. staying out of the picture, d.c.

any snow shower activity just to the west of fairfax. i suspect we're going to have more sunshine today. that'll help us get up to a high of 33. hope you can stand it being from miami. >> sounds good. all right, kim. thank you. we're back on a saturday morning, january 26, 2013. those are hearty souls outside. we owe them at least a cup of coffee for being out there for us. it is still mighty cold here in the northeast. there could be a little relief in store for some of our friends shivering out on the plaza. dylan's going to have our forecast for all of us in a few minutes. i'm erica hill alongside lester holt. coming up, a woman who set off an explosive debate when she wrote in this article in "vogue," got attention about what many saw as tough steps she took when she put her 7-year-old daughter on a diet.

now some people said good for her. others believe that she went too far in the way she handled it. this morning, we'll talk to her about her decision. she's here live in the studio. we'll also find out how her daughter is doing now. he might be the best salesman ever to walk this earth. ron popeil, king of the infomercial. what's the street to his success, and what would he be doing if he wasn't on tv? brian williams catches up with him to get all the answers. and we're going to take you on the hunt for a dangerous crocodile. where else would this happen -- only in florida. >> they could sit for hours -- >> there he is. >> is there any crocodile that's not dangerous? >> i don't think so. they're not soft and cuddly. >> nasty creditors. then chicken wings. more than a billion, yes, billion with a "b," get eaten on super bowl sunday. they're going to cost you a lot more this year. we'll tell you how much you can expect to shell out. >> people are very upset and concerned about this. >> yeah. >> the chicken wing. >> not a big chicken wing guy. >> we're helping guy because we're not big fans. >> we're helping chicken

certainly. >> you can have all of our chicken wings. there you go. and later, he's not a boy band heartthrob but he looks like one. look at that hair. you'll meet the british teen whose life has been turned upside down thanks to his very striking, strong resemblance to one direction's harry styles. first dylan, good morning. >> good morning. i'm reading this woman's new york city birthday list here. you do have to come outside because number one is picture with the whole cast. we've got to get to that. snow in times square. how lucky are you -- >> it is amazing. absolutely beautiful last night. my face is frozen. >> your face is frozen because you were enjoying it too much? >> exactly. >> we'll get a picture with the cast. we are talking about rain in the southwest. this is going to play a role in the ice storm we'll see in the chicago area tomorrow. so for right now,

dylan, thanks so much. we have a cold day, but we are slowly warming up. so glad to hear from jan shriver in greenville. she said she picked up a half inch of snow yesterday. temperatures already warmer than where we were yesterday. a little bit of a warming trend moving in. we're going to have some sunshine, morning snow showers sk skirting across. other than that, a much better weekend in store. now back to new york city. >> that is your latest forecast. erica? >> dylan, thank you. there's so much talk about people being overweight and obesity, it begs the question what would you do if your child was overweight or obese. one mother decided to take action to get her 7-year-old daughter slimmed down when she

learned that her daughter was, in fact, obese. that set off a major controversy when she wrote about her tactics in a national magazine. we'll speak with her in a moment. first, here's a little background -- it's an issue touching families across the country. more than 23 million children and teens in the u.s. are overweight or obese. >> i think the fact that we're so silent on the issue is also contributing to the problem. in fact, a study showed parents would rather talk to kids about sex or drugs or anything other than weight. >> one manhattan mom did speak up. daralynn weiss penned a controversial essay for "vogue" vogue about the strict diet she chose for her 7-year-old daughter. writing, "it is grating to have someone constantly complain of being hungry." weiss said she stopped letting her daughter "enjoy pizza fridays when she admitted to adding a corn salad as a side dish one week." she went on to say, "there have

been many awkward moments at parties when bea has wanted to eat, say, both cookies and cake. and i've engaged in a heated public discussion about why she can't." critics swiftly piled on. one headline read, "mom puts 7-year-old on a diet in the worst "vogue" article ever." >> when a child's weight is compromising their health, we need to be very careful with what we say and what we do. we don't want a child to look at food as the enemy. >> dara-lynn is author of "the heavy: a mother, a daughter, a diet." >> good morning. >> you decided ton share any picture of bea, your daughter who you call bea, not her real name in the book. she lost 16 pounds over the course of the initial i doet. how is she -- initial diet. so how she, and i don't mean physically but emotionally with all the attention your family has received? >> it's interesting. i think she's somehow been shielded from the attention because of her young age.

it's not something -- she's aware that i've written a book about our journey and that we were in a magazine. i don't think day to day she feels like a public figure which i'm happy about. she has indeed maintained a healthier weight which is, of course very important. she has incorporated new habits and new kind of controls over her eating into her lifestyle independently as she's gotten older. she's 9 now. she's as much a happy, confident child as she ever was. we still have a fabulous relationship. so i feel great about -- it was an -- continues to be an incredibly difficult journey to help a child with abeesity, but i feel -- obesity, but i feel good about it. >> we get a better sense in reading the book than in the article of what the journey was like for your family. you said you don't come across great sometimes in the book. that's because you said you wanted to be honest about it. some of the things you talk about, you say -- probably a lot of parents feel this way, i know i do at times, sometimes you feel like bea is a much better child than you deserve.

and you talk about your concern over her loss of innocence did. this take away some of the innocence from your daughter at a really important age, 7, to all of a sudden put her through this? >> that was one of my greatest concerns. coming to this, you think about childhood and the freedom to enjoy an ice cream cone and a piece of cake and not have to think about it. and we as adults it's difficult for us to manage our food and feel insecure about our weight. we would never want to put a child in that situation. i did struggle with that. i think it was -- you know, she is aware of this issue in her life. and that she can't eat the way she wants to. but i think that's important for her to maintain her health. >> some of these issues have controlled you for a long time. which you also write about. and you were concerned about, obviously, passing that on to her. >> sure. >> do you notice that at all, that she is overly concerned or consumed by foods and her weight? >> there's -- i think there's a definite difference in -- between how she approaches food and thinks about food which is in a kid-like way. like, i wish i could have that.

mommy doesn't let me. i can't have a second cupcake, but i wish i could. and cupcake is evil, cupcake is trying to trip me up. i think she has a healthy respect for limits and food without going into obsessiveness which is something i think i suffered from. >> some of the backlash is how public you were with her at parties, making a big deal so everybody knew what bea was going through. do you regret your tactics at all? >> i don't know if you describe them accurately. i think in the way that any parent at a birthday party will tell a child, you know, you've had your piece of cake, i think that's enough. that's a good parenting limit. we expect that was parents that your child shouldn't just be consuming junk food with abandon. i felt that somehow as the parent of an obese child that action was so much more judged and that it became a moment where people felt i was drawing attention to bea's obeseited rather than just -- obesity rather than just parenting. which parents of healthy kids do, parents of kids with nutritional needs, diabetes and

have to watch sugar. i did feel a bit of a d disenfranchisement in that it was public. it felt like a big deal because of my child's issue where this is something all parents do. >> thank you for being here. >> it's been great to be here. ahead, a big decision in a custody battle over an overweight dachshund. and next, the tv pitchman to get you to buy things. that's right, thank him for the ch chop-o-matic among other things. we understand. our financial advice is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings retirement advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. learn more with our free usaa retirement guide. call 877-242-usaa.

creatwith petsmart, wonder and enchantment. the destination for all things aquatic. come to the amazing aquatics event and save up to 25% on all aquariums and select aquatics essentials from your favorite brands. and tetras and algae eaters are just $1 each. at petsmart®. from my great-great-great grandfather... i kinda wanna be a part of that. we've been growing delicious apples for generations and that's the kind of quality that mcdonald's expects. ♪ behaves like the surface of your skin. now watch what soap does to it. ♪ soap strips your skin. dove is different. with 1/4 moisturizing cream, dove doesn't strip your skin like soap. with just a few ingredients. simple, wholesome goodness. kellogg's. start simple, start right.

i honestly loved smoking, and i honestly didn't think i would ever quit. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. it put me at ease that you could smoke on the first week. [ male announcer ] some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. with chantix and with the support system it worked. it worked for me. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you.

ron popeil is the tv pitchman and inventor who's made a name for himself by selling unusual, quirky items on tv. a familiar face to anyone who's watched late night infomercials. brian william recently caught up with him and some of his famous products. let me show you how to do it. put it on that needle. you tap it. you shake it. not you -- you shake this. and you go straight down like that. but wait -- there's more. >> more? >> there's more. wait. you'll have the most -- >> reporter: the best-known salesman of the television era, maybe the best salesman of the modern era period. ron popeil has sold us things that chop and slice and dice and turn and spray. he has sold products that cook, products that suck, products that put dinner on the table. over the years, his products sold under his own name or the

ronco label have brought in an estimated $2 billion. a huge chunk of that money came from his most successful big-ticket product, the showtime rotisserie oven. >> i'll take the turkey -- >> reporter: which brings us to the next thing. with ron popeil, there's always a next thing. >> we'll look this down, lock that -- we'll lock this down, lock that down. you go up, out, and down. you can't be splashed because when the food hits the oil, the lid is in place. >> reporter: wow. he's spent 11 years trying to perfect an olive oil fryer that won't burn the cook or burn down the house. among other thing, it cooks a 15-pound turkey in 45 minutes. he says the product is ready to hand to a manufacturer and to prove it he cooked a lot of turkeys while we were there. you could work in a deli. that's a portable skill. not far away in a spare room in the house is a piled up monument

to his obsession. all the failed attempts at his turkey fryer. ron, this is beverly hills. you can't have a mess like this. even though he sold ronco years ago, it's his name people still respond to. >> ladies and gentlemen, i'm going to show you the greatest kitchen appliance ever made. it's called chop-o-matic. >> reporter: what i love about your history is we've got two television cameras facing us. you went from state fairs to realizing this new invention was your way right through to the customer. that's what made you, i think, the salesman of our time. >> if there was no tv, i'd still be standing on some coca-cola boxes at the state fair and screaming my lungs out. you just turn it. >> reporter: at heart, he's an inventor, driven, never satisfied, always scheming, always selling. you're not going spend $400 or $350 or $320 or $300 or $290 like you may be thinking. not $280 or $250 or $260.

not even $200. all you spend for this fabulous new fryer of mine is four easy monthly payments of only -- you have to watch the infomercial to find that out. >> reporter: oh, man. i knew the payments were going to be easy. can i have some turkey? >> please do. >> reporter: that's a good turkey. that's a good bird. >> endorsed by brian williams. >> there you go. speaking of late night products, we are trying out some hot booties in the house. yes, hot booties. our executive producer saw these on tv, wanted to see how they worked. so here we are for her benefit. you pop them in the microwave for, what, 30 to 90 seconds, then you put them on. >> i could take -- >> then you have a foot war. >> who knows -- the warmth kind of dissipated quickly. >> a little bit. we had them on for a couple of minutes. >> but i agree with you, they feel like a wet sock.

>> yeah. a little -- my feet are sweaty. >> yeah. >> if economic in from the cold -- if i come in from the cold -- we should have been this after we were outside. you can't walk in them. they're for lounging. >> they look like they'd be great to walk in. >> they smell good. i like thelative rad lavender. >> i don't want to smell your feet, lester. next, the hunt for a dangerous croc -- they do smell good. where else but in florida? one.

two. three. my credit card rewards are easy to remember with the bankamericard cash rewards credit card. earn 1% cash back everywhere, every time. [ both ] 2% back on groceries. [ all ] 3% on gas. no hoops to jump through. i earn more cash back on the things i buy the most. [ woman ] it's as easy as... one! -two. -[ all ] three! [ male announcer ] the bankamericard cash rewards credit card. apply online or at a bank of america near you. until i got a job in the big apple. becoming a fulltime indoor cat wasn't easy for atti. but he had purina cat chow indoor.

he absolutely loved it. and i knew he was getting everything he needed to stay healthy indoors. and after a couple of weeks, i knew we were finally home! [ female announcer ] purina cat chow indoor. and for a delicious way to help maintain a healthy weight, try new purina cat chow healthy weight. ♪ every little thing has meaning ♪ [ female announcer ] we always make our kraft singles with milk, and no artificial flavors, so you can be sure there's no single thing better for your grilled cheese. ♪ we've decided to we're all having such a great year in the gulf,e. put aside our rivalry. 'cause all our states are great. and now is when the gulf gets even better. the beaches and waters couldn't be more beautiful. take a boat ride or just lay in the sun. enjoy the wildlife and natural beauty. and don't forget our amazing seafood. so come to the gulf, you'll have a great time. especially in alabama. you mean mississippi. that's florida. say louisiana or there's no dessert. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home.

in south africa the search is on for thousands of crocodiles. they escaped from a farm when floodings were opened during a raging flood. about 2,000 have been recaptured. as many as 13,000 are still on the loose. meantime in florida, there's just one croc that has hunters looking. as kerry sanders reports, this rare breed is very far from home, and it could become a m man-eater. >> reporter: along the canal that leads to the everglades, a two-man team is launching for the hunt, searching for a nile crocodile that doesn't belong here. >> one time i did see it. it was in this thick stuff here. >> yeah. >> then it went down, and i saw. >> reporter: experts say it's easier to find the crocodile at night when's hit with a light,

the eyes reflects back, red. just like this alligator's eyes. the nile crocodile is native to africa. its aggressive behavior on display during the great migration each year. nile crocodiles can grow to more than 20 feet and weigh in excess of 1,500 pounds. >> i've never seen a nile crocodile in florida. >> reporter: the nile croc on the sloos thankfully still small. >> i believe this one's about the same size as the one that we're chasing now. >> reporter: this is the brother to that nile croc that state officials believe escaped a collector's cage. the fear now -- nile crocs grow a foot a year. if it's not captured, it may become a serious threat. >> as adults, nile crocodiles are known to be man-eaters. they're known to attack people. >> reporter: another concern, will the nile crocs multiply like the burmese pythons have? biologists believe years ago

people let their pet snakes loose, and now there are more than 100,000 out here. but scientists believe it's unlikely that a nile croc would mate with the saltwater crocodiles that live on the edge of the eeerglades. what about alligators? even inhe lab nile crocs and alligators do not cross breed. >> alligators are more along the lines of a couch potato compared to the nile crocodile which i would compare to an athlete. >> reporter: finding this nile croc will be no easy task. there's but one somewhere out here in the 4,000 square miles of the florida everglades. for "today," kerry sanders, nbc news, miami. ahead, a wake-up call about the dangers of snoring. first -- man, that is loud. this is "today" on nbc.

still to come, notre dame officials speak out about the hoax involving manti te'o and his fake girlfriend. and unsportsmanlike conduct y. you'll pay more for chicken wings for your super bowl bash. first, these messages. [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thankyou card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? and with all the points i've been earning, i was able to get us a flight to our favorite climbing spot even on a holiday weekend. ♪ things are definitely looking up. [ male announcer ] with no blackout dates, you can use your citi thankyou points to travel whenever you want. visit citi.com/thankyoucards to apply. behaves like the surface of your skin. now watch what soap does to it. ♪ soap strips your skin. dove is different. with 1/4 moisturizing cream, dove doesn't strip your skin like soap.

[ slap! ] [ slap! slap! slap! slap! ] ow! ow! [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you? fight back fast with tums. calcium-rich tums starts working so fast you'll forget you had heartburn. ♪ tum tum tum tum tums you'll forget you had heartburn. [ announcer ] to do a job well, you need the right tools. so if you're filing your taxes online, choose h&r block at home. the power software created by the tax experts. file for free now at hrblock.com.

good morning, everyone. i'm richard jordan. some traffic alerts for you this morning. part of a busy virginia road will shut down. crews will bring down the courthouse bridge road in arlington. drivers will exit on to 14th street, follow 15th street to wilson boulevard. the road should reopen by 8:00 tomorrow night. traffic to and from the courthouse will be detoured from august. you can expect delays on the metro lines. on the red line, trains will run

on a single track. same on the green line between college park and greenbelt. we're going to check your forecast next.

southern maryland, i often hear from you you want more snow. you're getting some this morning. nothing sticking too much. it's around fred rix burg and points east. we'll show you where it's falling right now. all this is light and will be skirting on by and be out of here within the next hour or so. but the temperatures are still pretty cold. highs today 33. this is above freezing, and we haven't been above freezing since midnight tuesday. the weekend is good, but monday morning is where it's going to be tricky. looks like that high of 41 comes

after the low of 29. the morning rush could feature a little bit of freezing rain. just want to point that out to you. back to you. >> all righting kim. thank you. another news update in 25 minutes. welcome back to "today," saturday morning, the 26th day of january, 2013. my oldest son's birthday. cold weather couldn't keep this crowd from coming out on the plaza as they say hello to friends and family. our thanks to them for spending part of their saturday with us. tell you how long these frigid temperatures will last in a moment. lester holt here along with erica hill. coming up, we're talking about the dangers of snoring. if you think it's only an inconvenience to people who hear it, think again. the results of a study say it could be more dangerous than smoking. >> which is surprising.

that made me look up. frankly, it's high with me -- dave. notre dame officials speak out about the prank that humiliated their star linebacker, manti te'o. ahead, are you having a super bowl party? get ready to dish out more money for food. we'll tell you how much money chicken wings will cost this year. the rest of the chicken will cost more, too. a while back we total you about the custody battle involving obe, the obese dachshund. quite a picture. well, the custody battle has been resolved, and we also have good news for him. we've got an update ahead. plus, you may think your favorite celebrity is one of a kind. think again. a teenager who's a dead ringer for harry styles from one direction. you'll know about it, it will be in a song. we begin with a huge dose of frigid weather that's dumped ice and snow in a big part of the

country. dylan dreyer is upstairs at the weather map with the latest. good morning. good morning. yeah, milder air is eventually going to head into the northeast over the next few days. in parts of the midwest, cold, icy weather is on the way. bitter and in some places extreme winter conditions continue to take their toll across much of the country. down south, tennessee tree limbs coated with icicles, ice crippling roadways. similar conditions caused multiple accidents across northern georgia including this overturned car. near pittsburgh, spinouts across much of the area. some drivers forced to drive in near whiteout conditions. across lake erie, high winds and freezing temperatures formed ice dunes. in michigan what looks like icebergs along the detroit river. these four businesses in lake placid, new york, were iced over as firefighters tried to save them in sub-zero cold. just outside of boston, single-digit temperatures have left lakes and even waterfalls

frozen solid. in ohio, plows are working overtime while cars are barely working at all. the brutal conditions in so many places mean big businesses for tow truck operators and repair shops. >> we usually average about 80 calls in the summertime. and we're doing about 200 now. >> reporter: in chicago, they picked up their first inch of snow in 335 days, ending the record streak in the windy city. will white of north carolina couldn't wait for snow, making this winter wonderland in the middle of his chilly but still green charlotte neighborhood. >> can never count on mother nature anymore. she's not very reliable. >> and a lot of that is going to melt away in the carolinas as warmer air moves in this week. we are looking at chilly temperatures to still hold strong across the northeast. we have windchills down in the single digits and even below zero, especially across upstate new york. but moving into the next couple of days, again, a slow process. we are going to see warmer

temperatures eventually take hold in the northeast. 24 for the high. tomorrow, it looks like highs will get back up to around 30. below freezing. then finally as we go into monday and even tuesday, temperatures will get back into the mid 30s, mid 40s. and by the end of the week, we're looking for highs to get into the 50s. we do still have icy conditions in the forecast for tomorrow. today it is going to be quiet across portions of iowa, into wisconsin, northern illinois. that all changes tomorrow morning. it is an icing situation. not all snow. it is looking like we'll see freezing rain and sleet. we could see ice accumulations up to a quarter inch. we are looking at the heavy ice accumulation on the trees, on the power lines, that means power outages are possible in the region and roads will be very treacherous. erica? >> you'll wanted to be very careful. thank you. we'll have more on the national forecast coming up in just a few minutes. right now, we turn to the economy and signs that it may be ready to take off again. there is still concern over whether there could be potential

pitfalls and what it means to you. with that, more from chicago. [ bell ] >> reporter: the stock market winning streak is at its fourth straight week. there are encouraging signs on jobs and higher home prices. the government reported that sales of new homes shot up nearly 20% in 2012. and home prices went up almost 14%. >> this is the new pricing power that -- >> reporter: diana oleck covers pricing for cnbc. >> home pricing is nowhere near where we need it to be. we're at half the amount of housing starts that we would be in a normal year. >> reporter: any news is good for me toberry homes outside of columbus, ohio. they haven't been this busy since 2006. they've doubled their staff in the past year. >> pretty much every subcontractor in every field has been hiring employees. >> reporter: on wall street, the dow finished each week of the new year higher than it began. up 112% since the recession low in march, 2009, and poised to

set a new record high perhaps as soon as next week. that's encouraging for americans who have an estimated $6.5 trillion of their retirement savings tied up in stocks. analysts say the rally began after washington policymakers avoided the fiscal cliff and has continued as investors chase higher stock prices. >> when that light bulb goes off and people say, hey, wait a minute, the market really is getting better, maybe the economy's getting better. that train is leaving the station, i'd better not let it leave without me. >> reporter: is the economy about to gain momentum? there's still potential pittfalls. rising mortgage rates and tight lending could threaten housing. unforeseen political or economic events could topple stock prices. some analysts say the stage is set. >> we've made a lot of adjustments. now the economy really has breathing space to really improve. >> reporter: another potential speed bump for economic growth, the increase in payroll taxes that's now showing up in

paychecks. some analysts say they hope that the effect of that will be offset by new jobs and the new wages that come with them. for "today," john yang, nbc news, chicago. >> lester? >> thanks. now to a revealing story about snoring. you may think of it as annoying or just an inconvenience. new research suggests it's much more serious, possibly even worse than smoking or obesity. gabe gutierrez has details. [ snoring ] >> reporter: it's a constant battle in bedrooms. >> roll over, please. >> reporter: now a wake-up call. snoring is serious. >> it affects my sleep patterns. it affects how i perform at work. >> reporter: jim kelly broke his nose in high school and hasn't slept well since. just ask his wife. >> you can hear it through the walls. and it reverberates, and it's the really deep, throaty snore occasionally. and so, yeah, it -- it can be a nuisance. [ snoring ] >> reporter: a new study shows

it's just the beginning. doctors at henry ford hospital in detroit examined 54 patients. turns out those who snore head thicker carotid arteries, that could slow blood flow to the brain, putting snorers at greater risk for heart disease than being overweight, smoking, or having high cholesterol. how significant is the study? >> i think it actually has a fairly great deal of significance. >> reporter: dr. scott liebovitz is a sleep specialist at the piedmont heart institute in atlanta. he says this is evidence that heart problems could be linked to isolated snoring. long before someone is diagflows wednesday sleep apnea -- diagnosed with sleep apnea. >> previously snoring was an aesthetic problem. something that could bother bed partners, an announrknnoyancann. this shows it could cause blocked arteries. >> reporter: the study has drawbacks. among them, authors admit that participation rate was somewhat low. it's partly why they say more testing is needed.

still, jim kelly isn't taking any chances. with an 18-month-old son to take care of, kelly recently had sinus surgery. >> it's cut down on the vibrations that was causing a lot of the noise that was coming from the snoring. >> reporter: though he'll likely need more surgeries, he says the recovery time is worth it to get rid of a snore he can no longer ignore. for "today," gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. >> how would you like to be photographed -- >> sleeping like that. i know. >> no. >> i had a producer who proposed that as part of a larger story. he said, we have to capture all 24 hours. i said, there is no way you're watching me sleep. >> there's a guy at home having coffee -- that's me! when did that happen? >> i really do snore. jenna is here with more of the morning's headlines. >> good morning, good morning, everyone. did lance armstrong lie to oprah winfrey during their interviewer last week? new charges this morning that he did. armstrong said he had no performance enhancing drugs in

his system when he made his comeback in 2009 and 2010. the u.s. anti-doping agency chief tells cbs "60 minutes," that's just one thing he lied about. tygart says armstrong has until february 6 to tell the agency the whole truth and possibly lessen his lifetime ban from competitive sports. overseas, there are still deep rifts in egypt following the uprising that overthrew hosni mubarak. troops were sent to suez after at least nine people were shot dead in nationwide protests against president muhammad morrissey. separately, two dozen were killed protesting a sentence in last year's deadly soccer riot. in this country, thousands are expected to march in washington today for gun control. residents of newtown, connecticut, will be marching alongside the families who were affected by other tragedies like the virginia tech shooting. the march is in support of president obama's gun control

plan. it soon may be much harder for doctors to prescribe a popular painkiller. federal health advisers want to limit hydrocodone, they want to impose the same restrictions as those for methadone and oxycodone. if adopted the new rules would cut back on who can prescribe hydrocodone and the number of refills allowed. finally, for random guy michael dreish who went to a random basketball game in miami on a random friday night, it was one to remember. the pistons taking on the heat. halftime, he nails a half-court hook shot. makes it no problem. wins $75,000. then how about that -- a jumping hug from superstar lebron james. that's like -- that's like barry manilow coming out of the audience to high five you in the middle of a concert. same thing, right? >> totally. >> i was thinking, yeah. >> then of course, the icing on the cake. we get to show him on the "today" show. all around, it was a great day for that guy, mike. >> cool stuff. >> right?

>> not bad. dylan dreyer's on the plaza. she's got another check of the forecast. dylan's taking one for the team. we would love to be out with, but it's cold. >> i see you racing to the door. yeah. we need to get everybody on tv because these are some troopers here today. it is so cold out here. we've got everyone ending with a straight-up blanket. you came with a blanket. that's the way to do it this morning. it is very frigid. but we will see improvements. the weather thank, dylan. our stretch of subfreezing weather continues this morning with 20s all over the map.

the good news is we are going to take a stab at getting above freezing. watch out for that high of 33. the sunshine returns as well. you folks in southern maryland seeing snow this morning, it's nothing to write home about. it'll be out of here very quickly. the rest of us, just cold today, but better than where we've been. now bhak to dylan in new york city. >> that is your latest forecast. erica? >> thanks. notre dame officials are playing defense when it comes to their star linebacker, manti te'o. the embarrassmenting hoax involving him -- embarrassing hoax involved him that turned out to be a fake girlfriend. in a letter, the school says the controversy is a personal matter, not a criminal one. here's more. manti te'o, thank you for being here today. >> reporter: in his first televised interviewer, one went told katie couric he'd been had, the victim of a prank. now notre dame president reverend john jenkins says in a letter to trustees obtained by the associated press a prank is all it was, nothing criminal.

"this matter was personal to manti." he told couric what he told officials, that his online girlfriend was actually the picture of a stranger used without permission and accompanied by a hoaxster's voice. >> "i love you so much, hun. sweet dreams." >> reporter: he said when he was told in september that she'd lost her battle against leukemia, he played on because she'd wanted him to. a big storyline in notre dame's storybook season. >> what i went through was real. the feelings, the pain, the sorrow, that -- that was all real. that's something that like i can't fake. >> reporter: his pain turned to confusion and humiliation on december 6, he said, when his supposedly dead girlfriend called him. >> my whole reality was that she was -- she was dead, and all of a sudden she's alive. at that time, i didn't know that it was just somebody's prank.

>> reporter: in fact, notre dame's private investigation did not conclude until a forensic computer expert found the proof that te'o's girlfriend dead or alive had never existed. te'o had repeated a lie about one part of the story saying he'd actually met the girlfriend he'd only known on line. >> what would everybody think? what are you going to tell everybody who follow you, who you've inspired, what are you going to say? >> reporter: what he said to notre dame was that he'd been the victim of a hoax that had spun out of control in the months of an historic football season. it's personal, the university has concluded, nothing criminal, no ncaa violations. notre dame's investigation now over. for "today," nbc news, los angele angeles. still to come, getting the star treatment simply for looking like a member of a world-famous boy band. cue the screaming girls. next, your super bowl party may be a lot more expensive this year. chicken wing prices fly higher before the big game. jenna shared her recipe with sharon,

who emailed it to emily, who sent it to cindy, who wondered why her soup wasn't quite the same. the recipe's not the recipe... ohhh. [ female announcer ] ...without swanson. the broth cooks trust most when making soup. mmmm! [ female announcer ] the secret is swanson. with just a few ingredients. simple, wholesome goodness. kellogg's. start simple, start right.

pretty sweet, huh? cute. but don't you have any apps on your phone that can make your life easier? who do you think i am, quicken loans? at quicken loans, we'll provide you with myql mobile. this amazingly useful app allows you to take pictures of your mortgage documents using an iphone or android smart phone... so you can easily send them to us. one more way quicken loans is engineered to amaze. ooh, la-la!

watch your wallet and waistline before eating on super bowl sunday. this year, chicken wing may cost a bit more. as michelle franzen reports, it's more fallout from last year's drought now coming home to roost. >> reporter: it is the hit of the party, the wingman, so to speak, to the big game. >> i guess a football thing. everyone likes to eat wings and watch football and drink beer. >> reporter: but super bowl weekend, those popular chicken wings could be harder to find and may end up costing you more. >> i really couldn't imagine a super bowl without chicken wings. it's like baseball and apple pie. >> reporter: experts blame last summer's drought when corn and soybean prices used to make chicken feed went up, farmers cut back on chicken production. >> is there a shortage of chicken wings for the super bowl? no. is there a tight supply? yes.

>> reporter: economists say wholesale chicken prices in january are up as much as 10% from this time last year. at the grocery store, retail prices are up 6%. those higher prices come as fans coast to coast gear up for super bowl weekend parties where americans are expected to gobble up more than a billion wings. thanks. that's 1.23 billion to be exact. enough to stretch from san francisco to baltimore 27 times. >> we have more and more consumers saying, well, you know, i can't eat one. they're like french fries or potato chips. >> reporter: at atomic wings in new york city, owner adam lippin says the price increase hasn't hurt business one bit. >> the popularity is insane. and it has not peaked. >> reporter: a stop for wings was even at the top of the list for this couple visiting from ireland. >> i think we'd eat something like that -- we don't have a

wing shop back home at all. i think this is a great idea. >> reporter: as for super bowl fans, the advice is order early, and don't try to wing it on game day. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. ahead, comfort food for cold weather. erica shares her recipe for mac and cheese.

still to come, a fight for custody over a famous dog has a happy ending. an update on the obese ducksond. plus -- dachshund. plus, look at these little pups and their moves. ♪ [ female announcer ] mcdonald's dollar menu just keeps getting better. introducing the all-new mouthwatering grilled onion cheddar burger,

topped with melty white cheddar and caramelized onions. plus all your tasty favorites for just a dollar each. ♪ every day, as always, there's a lot to love for a little on mcdonald's dollar menu. ♪ [ coughs ] [ baby crying ] ♪ [ male announcer ] robitussin® liquid formula soothes your throat on contact and the active ingredient relieves your cough. robitussin®. don't suffer the coughequences™. this year, don't just take time off. put time in. turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family. at the one place where every heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, goose-bumping second counts. it's your vacation. don't just take it. mean it. universal orlando.

vacation like you mean it. i feel more inspired. more positive. [ male announcer ] only lipton adds fresh-pressed tea leaves to its new great tasting blend. drink new lipton and you'll be surprised how great you feel. ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] nothing gets you going quite like the power of quaker oats. today is going to be epic. quaker up.

good morning. police are searching for a gunman who wounded five people in a d.c. nightclub shooting. this happened at d.c. sound stage. police say a man went to the club and opened fire. three men and two women were shot. they were all alive when rescuers took them to the hospital. a march on washington for gun control will start at the

capitol reflecting pool on 3rd street northwest and head down constitution before turning to the washington monument. several residents of newtown, connecticut, will lead that march, which is set to start around 10:00. an the red line, trains will run on a single track. same with the green klein between college park and greenbelt. on the orange line, single tracking between east falls church and west falls church. we're going to get a check on your forecast next with kim. st

it's great to see you. we've got a cold warning. the temps are still subfreezing. lots of 20s on the map as you're waking up slivering and shaking with that 22 in rockville. good morning. the good news is we should take a stab at freezing or warmer as we head into the afternoon. a few of you are still seeing leftover snow showers. they're down to our south around fredericksburg and extend into southern maryland. not a big accumulation with this, but not quite allowing the sun to shine to get things warming up. leonardtown, you'll be down with this in the next hour or so. a sunny day awaits you. we'll work on 33 in d.c. north and west, highs around 31.

extending the forecast now. our next hiccup comes monday morning. it's here we could see maybe a little bit of ice before changing over to some rain. so the monday morning commute could be a little we are back, sudden morning, saturday, january 26, 2013 -- saturday morning, saturday, january 26, 2013. last weekend of the month. i am not sure how that happened so quickly, here we are. >> i didn't know that until you said that. >> i hope i didn't upset you. the good news is we're only one month away from somebody's birthday. that's all i'm saying. i don't know who it could be. >> i'm not going there this year. i'm going to take is in stride. >> i said, it not you. totally fine. i'm erica hill alongside jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer with friend of ours behind us braving

the cold here in new york city. so they get extra love. >> that's right. we came out to double the size of the crowd. >> we love you, that's why we're here. >> back at you. still to come, a full lineup for you ahead including, you'll meet a young man who is -- i think faring well thanks to a certain member of one direction and the resemblance. >> you saw mr. styles there, this young 15-year-old who bears a resemblance. he's reaping the rewards. >> yeah. he's living large. >> is he signing his name or harry's name? excellent question. >> probably putting his phone number down if he's smart. >> twitter handle. >> a nice in with the ladies. ahead, several months ago we told you about the custody battle involving obie, the obese dachshund. there's a happy ending.

we'll have an update. earlier we showed you lebron james getting extremely excited with one of his fans at one of his games. lebron after hours did a little michael jackson impersonation in our "weekly rewind." to call it an airball would be an injustice. i will let you decide when we hear that and some of the other videos talked about there week in our "weekly rewind." >> got some moves. >> there we go. looking forward to that. also, in case you haven't heard, it's cold here and in much of the country which got us to thinking, it's the perfect time of year, then, for some comfort foods. i love cooking comfort food. i love cooking things, what i call cold weather comfort cooking. we'll do that today. i'm making mac and cheese along with my friends here based on my mom's recipe. thanks, mom. that's ahead, as well. first, dylan with a final check of weather. i have one extra heat pack that i found in my pocket. who wants it? there we go. the first one who wanted it. that's good. keeping the crowd warm on a

saturday morning. it is going to be chilly in the good morning. i just heard from southern maryland weather news on twitter. they tell me they have a little bit of light snow in charlotte hall. the rest of us, though, the

sunshine is starting to break out. we have a cold day, 33. sunday is looking mostly sunny, 35. look at the low monday morning, 29. that cold air will be in place. we could have a little bit of ice sneaking in on us for that monday morning commute. then the 60s are here tuesday and wednesday. >> that is your latest forecast. erica? >> thanks. you may remember obie, the little dog with a big weight problem. we all fell in love with him. for months, obie and his foster mom have been embroiled in a custody suit. that suit is now settled, and obie is slimming down. we have the story from los angeles. obie, come here. >> reporter: every step obie takes is a triumph. the dachshund can walk or at least waddle. now that he's down to a svele 48 pounds. >> good job. >> reporter: he's dropped nearly 30 pounds under the care of foster mom nora. now his fur-ever mom after a

legal fight. >> i had to fight for obie because he's doing well here. you know, i think i can offer him what's best for him now. >> reporter: the saga began had he was turned over to a portland rescue group by his elderly owners who could not provide the medical care he needed. then staff asked vanatta to help out. she set up a facebook page, "biggest loser: doxie addition." and word spread of the dog with the winning smile and sweet disposition. it was his star shot on the "today" show. many weighed in but some claimed he was exploiting him for profit. >> the dog was not to be a media sensation, it was to be cared for. >> i wasn't exploiting him. >> reporter: she said his fame was inevitable. >> obie is like a magical dog. he appeals to everybody. his story just touches everybody in a different way. >> reporter: fortunately for

obie, the suit was just settled. the rescue group tells us they wish obie a healthy and happy future. that future is looking brighter than ever. obie's losing a pound a week. on track to his goal weight of 35 pounds later this year. >> go potty. >> reporter: he's mastered the doggy door and conquered the outdoors. he's even developed a taste for carrots. >> last one. >> reporter: for "today," nbc news, los angeles. >> does your dog eat carrots? >> no, but i have a dog who likes apples. >> my dog likes apples and carrots. broccoli not so much. >> no. some of the fruits and vegetables. >> there you go. boy band one direction is top dog in the music world, boosted by their single "what makes you beautiful." they stole the hearts of virtually every teenage girl in the world. now a 15-year-old british boy is getting the star treatment. and it's all due to his resemblance to one direction member harry styles. we have the report from london.

♪ >> reporter: britain's biggest boy band storming america in a way not seen since the beatles. ♪ >> reporter: the crowds went wild when one direction appeared on the "today" show in november. the group's biggest heartthrob is harry styles. no surprise the girls love him. ♪ >> reporter: but guess what -- this good-looking teenager walking the streets isn't harry. meet jacob. the 15-year-old has become an overnight sensation because his windswept hair and cheeky smile has everyone doing a double take. >> oh, my god. i'm shaking. >> i love you. ♪ i'm waiting >> reporter: can you tell which is which? the one on the left has dated taylor swift. the one on the right is still in high school. jacob didn't notice the celebrity resemblance until a friend's mom pointed it out. >> one direction were on tv. my friend's mom just looked at

one direction and looked at me. she noticed the resemblance. >> reporter: now everyone's noticing. in two months, jacob has gone from 36 followers twitter to more than 14,000. >> i've got a lot of marriage proposals. >> reporter: jacob is thinking about cashing in. the look-alike business is booming with brits. check out kate and the queen. once again, that's not them. they're lookalikes, and they're in high demand. ♪ >> reporter: according to reports, harry styles thinks his double is great. at least he doesn't have to worry about competition. jacob admits he's a terrible singer. nbc news, london. >> that's one 15-year-old who is living the life. >> talk about making your day. yes. he is going to have a very good year. >> enjoy, my friend. next, we look back at what had you talking on line. first, these messages. ♪ i -- i got it, i got it made

♪ i got it made, i got it made ♪ i got it made ♪ fresh at subway ♪ breakfast made the way i say ♪ i got it made ♪ i got it made, i got it made, i got it made ♪ ♪ fresh at subway ♪ breakfast made the way i say [ male announcer ] get breakfast made the way you say. like your very own sizzlin' steak, egg white & cheese. amazingly under 200 calories. want green peppers, red onions on toasty flatbread? oh, you so got it made. ♪ at subway oh, you so got it made. they live at alamo.com. and they just want to help you get a great deal on your rental car. just click on the alamo deal retriever℠. and get our best deal, customized for you. because everyone loves a little getaway... alamo. pleeeeeeeease... [ female announcer ] betty crocker fruit flavored snacks. pleeeeeeeease... less than 100 calories and made with real fruit pleeeeeeeease... thanks mom! [ female announcer ] betty crocker fruit flavored snacks.

waiting for your wrinkle cream to work? neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair has the fastest retinol formula. to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles in just one week. neutrogena®. to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles in just one week. now is the best time to stock up and save... ...at petsmart. save on your dog's favorite brands of canned food during our canapalooza™ savings event! each can enters you in our $10,000 canapalooza™ sweepstakes. at petsmart®.

the blissful pause just before that rich sweetness touches your lips. the delightful discovery, the mid-sweetening realization that you have the house all to yourself. well, almost. the sweet reward, making a delicious choice that's also a smart choice. splenda no-calorie sweetener. with the original sugar-like taste you love and trust. splenda makes the moment yours. ♪ this morning on "today's weekly rewind," we look at some of the most hilarious viral videos and a couple thing you may have missed. jenna is here to run them down. >> good morning. we're going to start with impressions. on a scale of one to ten, lester does a certain nbc anchor person worthy of a 9.5. i won't mention names. the same cannot be said for

lebron james taking on the late michael jackson. here's lebron james attempting the late king of pop. let's recap. basketball, yes, m.j., not so much. ♪ all night dance till the sun rise ♪ >> ooh. wow. ♪ all night gonna rock the night away ♪ >> the moves are better than the singing. >> a lot better than the singing. without a doubt. >> should have done a beyonce and lipsynced. >> yes. finally that would work out. that's when lip syncing is good. you know there's no sense waiting when you have to dance. you know what i mean -- >> i can't stop myself. >> this guy stopped at a gas station, as good a place as any, to get his groove on. when you have to go, you have to go. >> oddly enough he was ready to go with his costume, too. whole ensemble. >> when this guy is ready to dance, he comes prepared to dance.

>> the moves strike you. >> the guy inside the minimart is like, what? >> where is the music coming from? >> his car or his head -- >> i think he's waiting for the men'room to become available. >> keeping with our musical theme, "sexy back" of some of the most famous men in the world. ♪ >> somewhere out there justin temperature bett-- justin timbee is saying i never had to worry about someone outsinging me. >> a great beat. >> they never said "sexy back." >> they've probably never said "sexy." >> maybe not. >> maybe they want to think about it. maybe that should be a thought. they're bringing sexy back. >> you can find almost anything on amazon.com. we probably have. but can you buy your next great

employee? that's exactly what this looks like. this resume is designed to look like an amazon product page complete with product details, reviews. to contact him, a web product developer, click on the add to cart button. >> clever. >> i think he's figured out the age-old question how can i make my resume stand out g. on amazon and post yourself as an item to click and buy. how about that? >> free shipping. >> add to your cart -- >> obviously. >> these days, you have to have free shipping. >> these days how creative do you have to be to stand out? like you have to be eons above everybody else -- >> that was genius. >> that was smart. >> finally, this is adorable. check this out. six scottish terrier puppies drinking milk. as they do, they each are trying to maneuver themselves around for better positions. i love it. a little pinwheel. >> do they realize they're going in a circle, position doesn't

get any better. minor detail. >> the view is much better here, no, over here. oh, this -- >> you guys check out the food on this side? >> absolutely -- >> sweet. >> adorable. i'm pretty sure they were untrained. i think that was just pure nutritional bliss. >> cute stuff. nice stuff today. >> good stuff. up next, we're heading into the kitchen for the ultimate comfort food. i'm making mac and cheese. thanks for the recipe, mom.

this morning, erica is sharing one of her favorite comfort recipes. >> nice. how fancy is that? >> a classic mac and cheese. one of her favorite dishes. will we feel the same in a moment? erica, you love to cook. tell us why comfort foods on your thing. >> i do. i love to cook. i love comfort foods. as you see, we have pots here.

in the next few weeks i'm going to be using some of those pots. when my husband, david, and i got married, i registered for the red pots. they're a pricey item, and i never thought i'd get them, but i did. thank you, nell mcgriff. i had pots and all i wanted to do was cook with my pots. i literally would look up recipes. most of the things you make in a dutch oven or casserole like this are cold weather kind of comfort foods. >> sure. >> that's where it came from. the ultimate comfort food i think is mac and cheese. my mom makes a great mac and cheese. my husband loves my home made mac and cheese which is inspired by my mom. i'm not saying that's what won him over. but i'm not saying that didn't contribute. >> can we help? >> yes. i'm going to have you grate the cheese. i like a mixture. growing up my mom used extra sharp cheddar. then some friends -- you can start grating. >> okay. >> this is the cheddar. >> there were not supposed to be followup questions, dylan. >> when my husband and i were living in atlanta, friends of ours, john and glen, made the most amazing mac and cheese ever, and their secret was

gruyère, and i do a combination. you can put whatever you like in there. just grate that, it's funny. are you making the roux. you take butter and melted it. you've done a fine job. take the whisk and keep swirling it around. >> it's getting burned -- >> we don't want it to get burned and brown. we'll let it slide this time. put the flour in, it will bind it together and kind of help bind your cheese sauce together to keep it creamy and delicious. >> for people who don't know, what's a roux? >> i might be wrong, but basically it's butter and flour. and then once you get it creamy, add milk here. >> okay. >> i like to have my milk room temperature because i find that it mixes really well. >> you keep this going? >> keep mixing. you'll be mixing the whole time. while that you will is going, we've cooked our pasta, we've got that going on. you've got your cheese -- we add the cheese. >> shall i? >> yes. >> do your kids help you make this? >> they do. as much as they can. >> they do that?

>> they throw cheese on each other. the other night when i was testing this because i kind of don't follow recipes so his to write it down for you guys, they were instrumental in testing the cheese. that was their -- their big job the other night. >> perfect. >> so this is going. we add spices -- there you go. sawyer in his superman shirt looking like a walrus. and wes -- they were eating the cheese. and there are spices. my mom used paprika, the red one. >> how is your arm? >> okay. >> she made it with paprika. i like to add pepper. and you -- dump it in. >> what is this? >> cumin. this is totally optional. i've used it in more things i cook like roasted brussels sprouts and broccoli. gives it a nice, warm flavor. [ laughter ] >> there we go. i tried it the other night. my son said, mommy, this is a delicious dinner, thank you. it was a hit. >> best review. >> lester, you're off of the hook for a minute. >> okay.

>> we have more cheese, milk. as you make your sauce, when you're ready, dylan, important job, what i like to do, i dump the pasta directly into the cheese sauce, and i use fusili. the reason that i use this particular pasta is because -- this is the corkscrew one. >> you're silly? >> because it holds the cheese really well. >> clingage. >> good clingage. mix it together. yes, when you're a toddler, too, this is actually much easier to get on a fork than, say, regular macaroni. great for kids. >> sure. >> plus, the great seinfeld joke. fusili jerry, that's the other reason. >> that's exactly why. thank you. and you can use any pasta, i used brown, you can use whole wheat. we mix it, dump it in -- we're getting tight on time. dump it into a baking dish. >> dump it -- >> a few bread crumbs -- >> sprinkle with -- >> your arm is really sore. >> i'll get it for you to taste. and i stem cell research with a salad. you're getting vams -- and i

serve it with a salad. you're getting a vegetable, my kids get a salad. it's nice to have something lighter with the mac and cheese. i'll pass these down. >> you had it ready the whole time? >> you didn't have to do any of that. >> the stirring was -- >> for your efforts, my friend. there you go. >> thank you very much. >> the recipe is on our web site. thanks to my mom. and to john and glen for all the inspiration. and bon appetite. you may eat, as my son now says. we'll have more comfort cooking coming up. >> wow. >> the next couple of saturdays. >> really cheesy. >> you got to have the bread crumbs. you bake it until it's bubbly. >> good. >> crunchy. >> this is good. >> i like the cumin. >> thanks. we'll be right back. [ doorbell rings ] donuts? ♪ you're cute. [ door closes ] [ female announcer ] new special k protein cereal helps keep you fuller longer. willpower. what will you gain when you lose? [ traffic sounds ]

♪ help satisfy your hunger longer with the special k protein line. willpower. what will you gain when you lose? there's a lot of confusion out there. season. but at h&r block we are ready. and the sooner you start, the sooner we'll help you get your refund. come on in. and "i have no idea what i'm doing," you need a hand. well, walgreens is innovating to help. by making prescription refills this easy. and we're bringing our pharmacists out front to answer your questions. at walgreens, we'll do more than help you get well. we'll help you stay well and live well. because that's what it really means to be at the corner of happy and healthy.

i feel more inspired. more positive. [ male announcer ] only lipton adds fresh-pressed tea leaves to its new great tasting blend. drink new lipton and you'll be surprised how great you feel. ♪ [ coughs ] [ baby crying ] ♪ [ male announcer ] robitussin® liquid formula soothes your throat on contact and the active ingredient relieves your cough. robitussin®. don't suffer the coughequences™. ♪ the pollock we catch are filleted and frozen within about 24 to 72 hours. and it's a quality mcdonald's expects. gives you 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 50% annual bonus. and everyone likes 50% more... [ midwestern/chicago accent ] cheddar! yeah! 50 percent more [yodeling] yodel-ay-ee-oo. 50% more flash. [ southern accent ] 50 percent more taters. that's where tots come from.

[ male announcer ] the capital one cash rewards card gives you 1% cash back on every purchase plus a 50% annual bonus on the cash you earn. it's the card for people who like more cash. 50% more spy stuff. what's in your wallet? this car is too small. what's in your wallet? and they won't be beginners for long. give a couple beginners a great idea, they'll go to where they can get the skills, the savings, and the supplies they need - to go from beginning... to doing... to beautifully done. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. right now this shaker vanity cabinet is a special buy at just one hundred, ninety-nine dollars. call (star star)thd to shop now. that does it for us this saturday morning. tomorrow, twins separated at birth reunited 70 years later. >> is there going to be more food?

>> next week. >> see you later. i'll see you tonight for "nbc nightly news." have a great day. good morning. i'm angie goff.

>> and i'm richard jordan. straight ahead on news 4 today, a violent night in the district. several shots fired at a d.c. nightclub. we'll have a live report from the scene. and in an hour, a march for gun control will take over the streets around the national mall. special guests from a small town in connecticut will lead the way. kim. >> good morning. i'm watching a few snow showers across southern maryland. straight ahead, your full weekend weather forecast. a violent day in egypt. deadly riots and police officers there to calm the crowd are among those killed. how a soccer match of all things tipped off the violence. >> all that and more when you join us for news 4 today. >> we're back in 90 seconds.

hi, everyone. good morning. i'm richard jordan. >> and i'm angie goff. welcome to news 4 today. it is saturday, january 26th, 2013. it's expected to be another chilly day in our area. our second is snowfall of the week cake through quickly. only an inch or so fell as many of you were driving home for the evening. plow trucks were definitely busy as they were salting those roads all night. this morning you'll find roads passable and the snow mainly on the grass. >> a live look right now at the roads. crews are working around the clock to make sure you don't encounter any slick spots on state roads.